Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/47

Rh "God has given fine weather, but the heat will be Violent," said the courtiers.

"That is no harm," answered Pan Mikolai, quieting them, "we shall take a sleep at the cloister and reach Cracow about evening."

"For another feast, surely."

"There are feasts every day now in Cracow, and after the tournaments there will be greater ones."

"We shall see how Danusia's knight will exhibit himself."

"Ei! They are in some sort men of oak! Have ye heard what they said of that battle of four?"

"Perhaps they will join our court, for they are counselling together about something."

And really they were counselling, for Matsko was not greatly rejoiced over what had happened; moving, therefore, in the rear of the retinue, and lingering purposely, so as to speak more at freedom, he said,—

"In truth there is no profit for thee in this. I shall push up to the king somehow, even with this court, and mayhap I shall gain something. I should like wonderfully to get some little castle or town. Well, we shall see. In good time we shall redeem Bogdanets from pledge, for what thy fathers possessed we must possess also. But whence are we to get men? Those who the abbot settled he will take back again; land without men has no value, so mark what I say: Make vows to whom it may please thee, or make them not, but go with Pan Melshtyn to Prince Vitold against the Tartars. Should the expedition be summoned before the queen's delivery, wait not for delivery or tournaments, but go, for there may be profit. Thou knowest how bountiful Prince Vitold is, and he knows thee already; acquit thyself manfully, he will reward thee well. And above all, if God favor, thou mayst get captives beyond number. The Tartars are like ants in the world. In case of victory there will be sixty for each warrior."

Here Matsko, who was greedy for land and labor, began to imagine,—

"God give me a blessing to drive in about fifty men and settle them in Bogdanets. We should open a strip of wilderness and increase, both of us. And knowest thou, that nowhere wilt thou collect so many men as thou mayst collect there."

But Zbyshko shook his head.